Overview
- Enrico Costa was elected by acclamation on Tuesday to head Forza Italia’s group in the Chamber of Deputies, succeeding Paolo Barelli after a closed‑door meeting at Montecitorio.
- Barelli stepped aside on Monday and, according to multiple reports, is expected to become deputy minister for Relations with Parliament, a no‑portfolio role that would avoid a clash with his presidency of Italy’s swimming federation.
- The handover comes as Marina and Pier Silvio Berlusconi press a broader refresh of leadership following the party’s defeat on a justice referendum, with Gianni Letta mediating to secure consensus for Costa.
- The unresolved issue now shifts to regional party congresses, where divisions in regions such as Lombardy, Sicily, and Puglia persist, and Piedmont governor Alberto Cirio has been tasked with sequencing votes starting where a single candidate can unite local factions.
- Costa, a former Azione lawmaker with experience on justice matters, signals a liberal, pro‑civil‑liberties profile, while coverage splits on the drivers of change, with right‑leaning outlets stressing Tajani’s control and left‑leaning outlets highlighting the Berlusconi family’s sway and Barelli’s remark that parties should be led from within.